Elmer and Rose
January 11, 2012
By: Carisa Kluver
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User Rating:
Rating: Not Yet Rated!
Elmer and Rose
January 11, 2012
By: Carisa Kluver
The Digital Media Diet
Elmer isn't the only Elephant who looks different ...
In this title, Elmer is joined by several other 'unique' elephants, including Rose, an elephant who is pink from blushing, instead of the usual grey. This book, one in a series of print books that first began in 1989, is a delightful title in the Elmer series, about a patchwork elephant. This book was published in print in 2005 & features illustrations that are drenched in rich colors.
The story follows Elmer as he tries to find the shy pink elephant after she has wandered away from the herd. Along with his checker-board-colored cousin, Elmer helps little rose find her family. Along the way they meet a grey elephant from another herd and Rose remarks that he looks 'strange'. When Elmer and his cousin find Rose's herd, they are all pink, too. After that Elmer tries to imagine what it would be like if he were part of a herd that looked like him, with all patchwork colors.
This digital offering is well made with simple, intuitive settings, although several links on the title page do take the reader outside of the app. Like other book apps from Oceanhouse Media, this one has an eye on educational enhancements. For the read-a-long effect, each word is highlighted as it is read. Tap on any word to hear it spoken, even in the 'read-it-myself' mode. The only thing lacking is a page guide.
Although each page is essentially a still image, many pages begin by panning over the original artwork, zooming in and out to show off each segment of text, a nice semi-animated style. For interactivity, most of the items pictured in the story react to a light tap with a visual image of the word with accompanying audio (for example, tap Elmer and the word "Elmer" appears with audio saying “Elmer”). If the image tapped is also represented in the text on that page, the word will highlight as well.
Overall, this book is a delightful read and a good length for bedtime. It has beautiful illustrations and just the right amount of interactivity to inspire reading without detracting from the story. I love the addition of several other 'unique' looking elephants in this Elmer title, along with the continued emphasis on the idea that everyone is unique, even if you can't tell just from looking at appearances on the outside.
All reviews are of the app, not the platform/device. Based originally on iPad versions. Minor technical details may vary.
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Author/Illustrator:
David McKee
Developer:
Oceanhouse Media, Inc.
Length (time):
8 - 10 Minutes
Based on non-digital book: Yes
Allows Own Narration:
No
Uses Motion: No
Age: 3 - 8
Languages:
English •
Length (pages):
0 Pages
Story Synopsis - Elmer and Rose
From School Library Journal's synopsis of the print title:
Elmer the patchwork elephant and his black-and-white-checkered cousin Wilbur are out strolling together when they come across a herd of gray elephants. To Wilbur's mind, they are not unique, although Elmer claims that they are "all unique….Just not as different as us." Not long afterward, Grandpa Eldo, a gold elephant, introduces them to Rose, a pink youngster who has wandered away from her herd. Rose and the two cousins play together as they set off in search of her herd. They encounter a lone gray pachyderm that she finds peculiar. When they locate her pink herd, the cousins understand Rose's reaction to the gray elephant. Fans will welcome this addition to the series. The message that everyone is unique is hardly subtle, and there's not a lot of action, but youngsters will enjoy looking at the bright jungle scenes and the cartoonlike animals that form Elmer's world.—Donna Atmur, Los Angeles Public Library
Orientation: Landscape
Format: Universal
Options:
Read Myself, Read-to-Me, Auto-Play, Sound On/Off, News On/Off, Links to: App Store, Web, Email, FB, Twitter
App Release Date:
2011-11-30
Size: 14.03 MB
Version: 1.08
Lite Version Available: No
Elmer and Rose
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